The Decretum Gelasianum

The so-called Decretum Gelasianum de libris recipiendis et non recipiendis,
is traditionally attributed to Gelasius, bishop of Rome 492-496 CE.
However, upon the whole it is probably of South Gallic origin (6th century),
but several parts can be traced back to Pope Damasus and reflect Roman tradition.
The 2nd part is a canon catalogue,
and the 5th part is a catalogue of the 'apocrypha' and other writings which are to be rejected.
The canon catalogue gives all 27 books of the New Testament.
Parts 1, 3, and 4 are not relevant to the canon,
but a complete Latin edition and
a complete English translation are available.

Part 2 -- A catalogue of the canon.

Likewise it was said:

Now indeed the issue of the divine scriptures must be discussed, which the
universal Catholic church receives or which it is required to avoid.

1. THIS IS THE ORDER OF THE OLD
TESTAMENT:

Genesis

one book

Exodus

one book

Leviticus

one book

Numbers

one book

Deuteronomy

one book

Joshua

one book

Judges

one book

Ruth

one book

Kings

four books

Chronicles

two books

150 Psalms

one book

Three books of Solomon

proverbs

one book

ecclesiastes

one book

song of songs

one book

The same of Wisdom

one book

ecclesiasticus

one book

2. LIKEWISE THE ORDER OF THE PROPHETS:

Isaiah

one book

Jeremiah

one book

with Cinoth i.e. his lamentations

Ezechiel

one book

Daniel

one book

Hosea

one book

Amos

one book

Micah

one book

Joel

one book

Obadiah

one book

Jonah

one book

Nahum

one book

Habbakuk

one book

Zephaniah

one book

Haggai

one book

Zechariah

one book

Malachi

one book

3. LIKEWISE THE ORDER OF THE HISTORIES:

Job

one book

Tobit

one book

Esdras

two books

Ester

one book

Judith

one book

Maccabees

two books

4. LIKEWISE THE ORDER OF THE SCRIPTURES OF
THE NEW TESTAMENT which the holy and catholic Roman church upholds
and is venerated:

Four books of the Gospels

according to Mathew

one book

according to Mark

one book

according to Luke

one book

according to John

one book

Likewise the acts of the apostles

one book

The letters of the apostle Paul in number fourteen

to the Romans

one letter

to the Corinthians

one letter

to the Ephesians

one letter

to the Thesalonians

two letters

to the Galatians

one letter

to the Philippians

one letter

to the Colossians

one letter

to Timothy

two letters

to Titus

one letter

to the Philemon

one letter

to the Hebrews

one letter

Likewise the apocalypse of John

one book

Likewise the canonical letters in number seven

of the apostle Peter

two letters

of the apostle James

one letter

of the apostle John

one letter

of the other John the elder

two letters

of the apostle Judas the Zealot

one letter

HERE ENDS THE CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

Part 5 -- A catalogue of the 'apocrypha' and other writings which are to be rejected.

The remaining writings which have been compiled or been recognized by heretics
or schismatics the Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church does not in any way receive;
of these we have thought it right to cite below some which have been
handed down and which are to be avoided by catholics.

Further Enumeration of Apocryphal Books:

In the first place we confess that the Synod at Ariminum which was
convened by the emperor Constantius, the son of Constantine,
through the prefect Taurus is damned from then and now and forever.

Itinerary (book of travels) under the name of the apostle Peter, which is called The Nine Books of the holy Clement

All amulets which have been compiled not, as those persons feign,in the name of the angels, but rather in that of the demons

apocryphal

These and the like, what Simon Magus, Nicolaus, Cerinthus, Marcion, Basilides,
Ebion, Paul of Samosata, Photinus and Bonosus, who suffered from similar error,
also Montanus with his detestable followers, Apollinaris, Valentinus the Manichean,
Faustus the African, Sabellius, Arius, Macedonius, Eunomius, Novatus,
Sabbatius, Calistu, Donatus, Eustatius, Iovianus, Pelagius, Iulianus of Eclanum,
Caelestius, Maximian, Priscillian from Spain, Nestorius of Constantinople,
Maximus the Cynic, Lampetius, Dioscorus, Eutyches, Peter and the other Peter,
of whom the one besmirched Alexandria and the other Antioch, Acacius of
Constantinople with his associates, and what also all disciples of heresy and
of the heretics or schismatics, whose names we have scarcely preserved,
have taught or compiled, we acknowledge is to be not merely rejected but excluded
from the whole Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church and with its authors and
the adherents of its authors to damned in the inextricable shackles of anathema for ever.

Pages created by Glenn Davis, 1997-2010.
For additions, corrections, and comments send e-mail to
gdavis@ntcanon.org